A set of English gilt bronze, painted, wrought and cast iron railings, possibly executed by Jean Montigny, circa 1720, modified and extended in the 1740s

the central section centering interlaced C's and the Arms of the Garter suspended from a bearded gilt bronze mask flanked by acanthus scrolls and floral swags, with two flanking sections with spiked tops interspersed with urns above gilt bronze lion's masks

Most probably commissioned by James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, (1673 - 1744) for Cannons, Edgware and possibly executed by Jean Montigny (fl. 1721 - 1725);
Sold Cannons House Sale, 16 June 1747;
Purportedly acquired by Isaac Ware for Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, (1694 - 1773) for Chesterfield House, London, where modified;
Thence by descent at Chesterfield House;
Acquired in situ with the house by Charles Magniac (1827 - 1891);
Acquired on his death in situ by Sir Michael Arthur Bass, 1st Baron Burton (1837-1909);
Thence by descent until sold in situ to Henry George Charles Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood, (1882 - 1947) in 1922;
Moved to Harewood House, Yorkshire by the 6th Earl upon the demolition of Chesterfield House in 1937;
Thence by descent with the Earl's of Harewood until sold, Harewood House, Christie's, 3 October 1988, lot 104.

Avray Tipping, Chesterfield House, Mayfair I, A Residence of Viscount Lascelles, Country Life, February 25 1922, pl. 1.
C. H. Collins Baker and Muriel I. Baker, The Life and Circumstances of James Brydges, First Duke of Chandos, Patron of the Liberal Arts, Oxford University Press in co-operation with the Huntington Library, 1949.
G. Jackson-Stops, ‘English Baroque Ironwork-II’, Country Life, 4 February 1971.
David Pearce, London’s Mansions: The Palatial Houses of the Nobility, London, 1986, p. 72, pl.43.
Christopher Simon Sykes, Private Houses: Life in the Great London Houses, London, 1986, p. 119.
Alan Rubin and John Harris, Lord Chesterfield’s Railings, Pelham Galleries, London, 1989.

RELATED LITERATURE
Daniel Defoe, A Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, 1725, pp. Letter 6, Part 1: Middlesex, Hertford and Buckinghamshire.
John Harris, English Decorative Iron Work 1610 – 1836, London, 1960.
Susan Jenkins, Portrait of a Patron: The Patronage and Collecting of James Brydges, 1^st Duke of Chandos (1674-1744), Ashgate, 2007.
Edwin Beresford Chancellor, The Private Palaces of London: Past and Present (1908), Kessinger, 2009.

An ornate and superbly cast set of railings in excellent restored condition. The stanchions to the sides of the flanking railings have been adapted to fit their current position but are contemporary to the original manufacture. All the gilt elements have been re-gilt and treated to with stand weather in keeping with their intended use. There have been restorations to the iron railings securing them from former areas of rust. Many of the unseen smaller screws are later and were added during the railings' restoration in the early 1990s. Please contact the department with any further questions, particularly regarding re-sizing the railings to fit a specific area.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."